Mitchell & Ness and National Hockey League Team Up for Premium Lifestyle Apparel and Headwear Partnership
Today, Fanatics, Mitchell & Ness and the National Hockey League (NHL®) announced an agreement that will see the iconic sportswear and culture brand, Mitchell & Ness, gain rights to design and manufacture officially-licensed lifestyle apparel, headwear and accessories for the NHL and all 32 NHL teams. The rights and length of the deal align with the existing e-commerce and licensing partnership between the NHL and Fanatics. Fanatics, alongside a celebrity and influencer ownership group, acquired Mitchell & Ness in February.
Mitchell & Ness has enjoyed a long history of collaborations with the NHL and its teams, including building out in-arena stores featuring team-branded merchandise and special collections. Products under this newly announced arrangement will receive widespread distribution to Fanatics’ global network of online stores, including NHLShop.com, NHLShop.ca, the official sites for all 32 teams, and Mitchell & Ness’s own revamped website. In addition to select arenas, fans will also be able to shop the collection at the NHL Shop NYC flagship store at Manhattan West, as well as other national and local bricks-and-mortar locations that Mitchell & Ness services.
In addition to the new selection of current and historical products for the NHL and its 32 teams, Mitchell & Ness announced it has separately agreed to terms with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) for rights to feature the game’s biggest stars on a wide assortment of apparel. A variety of items featuring the game’s former greats will be made available through a separate agreement between Mitchell & Ness and the NHL Alumni Association.
“Mitchell & Ness is at the cross section of fashion, streetwear, culture and authenticity, which is a sweet spot for hockey fans,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Brand Officer and Senior Executive Vice President. “We have found tremendous success in partnerships with brands like Mitchell & Ness that have proven design and retail merits and that creatively showcase and reimagine the rich history of the NHL for today’s hockey fan.”
The new collection under this partnership is set to launch in November and will feature a wide variety of street fashion apparel and lifestyle products, including fan jerseys, outerwear, fleece, headwear, tops, and bottoms.
“We’ve been thrilled with the addition of Mitchell & Ness into the Fanatics portfolio, and the ability to extend Fanatics’ rights with the NHL to their brand will create an incredible new experience for fans everywhere,” said Joe Bozich, President of Fanatics Brands. “The new assortment of Mitchell & Ness NHL products will flow through our sophisticated online and offline distribution channels to allow fans worldwide quick access to these incredible, high-quality products.”
“It’s exciting to continue Mitchell & Ness’ tradition of translating the greatest moments on ice through premium product,” said Mitchell & Ness CEO Kevin Wulff. “We look forward to celebrating past and present moments from the NHL’s most revered players and franchises through our digital channels, Fanatics’ vast online network, in flagship stores and at valued offline retail partners, giving consumers the chance to shop whenever or however they’d like.”